Hedonic hotspot in rat olfactory tubercle: map for mu-opioid, orexin, and muscimol enhancement of sucrose ‘liking’

Pleasure plays a crucial role in positive reinforcement and motivation. Brain regions able to amplify positive hedonic reactions to sweetness, known as 'hedonic hotspots', are distributed within the mesocorticolimbic reward systems. The olfactory tubercle (OT), a part of the ventral striatum that receives olfactory input, contains distinct functional domains: the anteromedial domain mediates approach motivation toward odors associated with food, whereas the lateral domain mediates avoidance moti